This is very true. There would be an extremely strong case for banning private motor vehicles in central London entirely with the exception of those essential for business use (note: taking a taxi because you're too lazy to go by Tube is not essential for business use; I'm talking deliveries or those carrying heavy articles etc) or for those who have a disability precluding the use of public transport.
There would be an even stronger case for banning all internal combustion engined motor vehicles there entirely as soon as possible, buses and lorries included.
I'm not sure that central London has less need for taxis than other areas. There are lots of people with mobility problems who find buses difficult, and there are lots of hospitals and other public services in London which people need to access. And there are times when you're struggling to carry quite a lot of stuff and a mile or two in a taxi is the only realistic option. Not to mention people arriving at mainline stations with lots of luggage who'd be lost without access to a taxi.
In my experience, these needs are as common in central London as in the suburbs. I certainly
do agree, however, that private motor vehicles for people - as opposed to for necessary goods and services - should be out of central (if not all) London. And I agree that being too lazy/posh to get a bus or a tube is not an excuse for using a vehicle. I also note, from people I talk to, that users of "minicabs", including Uber etc, are generally doing so instead of getting a bus (ie they're adding to vehicles on the road), whilst users of "proper" taxis are often those who'd otherwise want to drive, or would find it hard to travel at all, and hence taxis can be socially useful.
As for getting internal combustion engines off the roads - yes indeed! What I don't understand is why, given the problems with batteries being insufficient for an all-day cycle of journeys by a bus, lots of London bus routes aren't converted to trolleybus routes. Much cheaper and more flexible than trams, with many of the advantages. Is there a trolleybus thread on this site anywhere??
